Stoker



Sept. 30, 1930. nbgsc El AL 1,777,017

STOKER Original Filed June 2. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY Sept. 30, 1930. F. P. ROESCH El AL STOKER 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet Original Filed June 2 INVENTOR5 I ATTO MDM' RNEY

Sept. 30, 1930. 'p, p, RO -CH ET AL 1,777,017

STOKER Original Filed June 2, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 :iw m W BY I ATTORNEY Sept. 30, 1930.

F. P. ROESCH' STOKER 89 INVENTO S ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 30, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK P. ROESCH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, FRANK HOPPER, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, AND ANDREW M. HUNT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO STANDARD STOKER COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE STOKER Application filed June2, 1923, Serial No. 643,016. Renewed September 6, 1928.

This invention relates to stokers, and more particularly in some of its details to stokers especially adapted for use in connection with locomotives.

It is the general object of the invention to improve and perfect the construction of the elements of a stoker and to efiect an advantageous combination thereof, resulting in an improved assembly possessing advantages from the standpoints of minimum number of wearing parts, economy and efiiciency in operation, and facility of repair or replacement of parts.

Another obj ect is to minimize the tendency to clogging-or jamming in the conveyor of a stoker of the class mentioned, and to provide improved means for loosening such ams should they occur.

Another object is to effect an improved arrangement of the driving motor for the conveyor, and toyprovide an improved flexible driving connectlon between the driving motor and the conveyor. 4

Another object is to provide an improved arrangement of the conveyor conduits with flexible connections for taking care of the changes in relative -positions of the locomotive and tender which occur in operating on a track that is not uniform in grade and alignment, and being specially arranged for effecting a uniform and uninterrupted flow of fuel to the combustion chamber. 7

Other objects will be in part obvious in connection with the accompanying detailed description, and input specifically pointed out in connection therewith.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangementof parts, which will be exeinplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a complete understanding of the na-. ture and objects of the invention, reference is had to the accompanyingdetailed description of a practical exemplification thereof, taken in connection with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the improved stoker as applied to a-locomotive and its tender, certain parts being diagrammatically shown;

Fig.'2 is a central vertical longitudinal section of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational View,

partly in section, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2

' looking in the direction of the arrows;

the line a fragment of the tender under-frame construction at 12. The grate of the firebox or combustion chamber of the locomotive is in: dicated at 13, overlying the ash-pit, and the back-head of the fire-box or rear water-wall of the locomotive boiler is indicated at 14, with the mud-ring 15 extending along the lower part thereof. The coupler between the locomotive and its tender is indicated diagrammatically at 16.

The coal space of the tender is disposed above the floor 17 thereof underlying which is a trough'or channel 18 normally covered by removable cover sections 19. Ordinarily the floor of the coal space is'inclined downwardly toward the trough 18 at sides and back thereof, the inclined rear floor being shown at 20 in Fig. 2. By means of this arrangement, the coal will move downwardly along the inclined floor sections into position to enter the conveyor trough 18. The remov- V able cover sections 19 may he slid forwardly or moved from covering position to'permit entry of coal into the trough as the supply becomes depleted.

The transfer conveyor permit relative movements between the locomotive and its tender without damaging the conveyor. The forward conduit section 21 is rigidly connected to the locomotive as by the support 22 and by connection through flange 23 to the upright or lifting conduit 24, which in turn is supported from the locomotive frame 11. The intermediate conduit section 25 is connected by ball-and-socket joints 26 and 27 with the locomotive and tender sections respectively, providing flexible joints for the purpose mentioned. Each of these joints includes an exterior bowl or socket member formed on the adjacent forward conduit section, and an interior bowl or ball member formed on the adjacent rearward conduit. In each instance, the interior bowl member is lapped or shingled on the interior of the co-operating bowl in the direction of movement of material in the conduit, so as to avoid obstruction to advancement thereof. The inner bowl of the joint 27 is rigidly secured to the tender in alignment with the trough or conduit 18.

For carryi'n the coal or other fuel from the tender to t e locomotive, a sectional conveyor screw is rotatively mounted in the conduit, including a rear or tender section 28, a forward or locomotive section 29, and an intermediate section 30 flexibly connected to the other two sections by means of universal joints. These joints, being flexible, permit relative angular movements of the screw sections, while relative bodily displacement longitudinally of the screw sections is rovided for by means of a slip joint 31. rovision is thus made for relative movements between the locomotive and its tender, as in passing over irregular tracks, around curves, etc. Auxiliary conveyor paddles 33 and 34, preferably arranged in separable conveying sections, may be provided at the joints of the conveyor screw, which joints will ordinarily be located adjacent the flexible joints in the conduit. These p'addles provide additional conveyinglcapacity at the oints and the fendency to c oking or clogging at these points 1s overcome.

The forward screw section 29 is preferably made in two parts, detachably connected by a joint as indicated at 35, the parts 1 ing on opposite sides of a supporting and thrust bearing 36. By means of this arrangement disassembly and removal of the screw section from the conveyor conduit is facilitated.

Relative bodily movement longitudinally of the conveyor is provided for in the conveyor conduit by means of a slip joint, preferably positioned in the intermediate conduit section. I For this purpose, the intermediate section is constructed in two telescopic parts,

with a slot 37 and interengagin rib or lug 38 permitting relative longitu 'nal movement, but restraining axial rotation of the two sectional parts. There will normally be a tendency of the intermediate conduit section to rotate axially under the influence of the screw, but this tendency will be resisted by connection of the section part 25 with the rigid forward section 21, by means of a slot and lug connection 39, 4.0, shown at Fig. 2, while the rear part 25 is prevented from rotation by means of the slot and lug connection 37, 38 as above mentioned. The slot and lug connection 39, 4:0 is preferably disposed at the forward conduit joint 26 permitting angular displacement of the two adjacent conduit sections.

The elevating conveyor An elevating conveyor is disposed at the forward or delivery end ofthe transfer conveyor, communicating at its side with the latter through an opening or discharge mouth 4.1, being adapted to elevate the fuel from a point below the combustion chamber to a point there-within. The elevating conveyor includes an upright conduit 24, above referred to, suitably supported on the locomotive frame as indicated ggagrammatically in Fig. 2, and a rotary li ing screw conveyor 42 therein supported upon a lower hearing. The diameters of the conduit and screw are substantially the same, so as to prevent fuel falling over the blade edges during elevation of the fuel. Due to the tendency of the fuel to fall from the blades of the lifting screw, there may be a consequent tendency to clogging or stagnation of the fuel at and adjacent to the opening 41. To minimize this tendency, and to permit free and uninterrupted operation of the conveyor, the transfer conduit is preferably flattened adjacent its delivery mouth, as indicated at 43, so the vertical diameter thereof is substantially the same as that of the conveyor screw. This flattened section of the conduit may be substantially rectangular or oblong in cross section, as shown in Fig. 4, but reference to Fig. 2 will show that the top or upper wall of the conduit is lower and nearer to the periphery of the conveyor screw, at its forward end, than it is at the point at which the section of Fig. 4 is taken. Rearwardly of this point the conduit becomes circular in section and is of greater diameter than the screw. The flattening of the conduit at its forward end minimizes the falling of fuel over the blade edge of the lift- 1 ing screw, due to the fact that the coal in its upward movement sooner enters the confines o the elevating conduit. The delivery mouth of the transfer conduit will ordinarily befilled with fuel to the extent of its vertical dimension and the form of the delivery opening of the transfer conduit is such that the coal is fed to the elevating conduit over .an extended area which assists in starting the fuel in its upward path. 1

The forward section 21 of the conveyor conduit is provided with removablecoverplates 44 and 45, the forward cover plate 44 having openin s 44 therein, so an attendant in the locomotive cab can readily observe the operation of the conveyor.

The crusher A crushing device is preferably provided for reducing large lumps of coal to a size convenient for consumption and for ready and uninterrupted handling by the conveyor. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 this crusher 46 is preferably placed adjacent the forward part of the tender conveyor trough being disposed transversely thereof, and preferably including a base plate with forwardly projecting spikes or teeth 47 and 49. The crusher plate is preferably mounted on a transverse plate or diaphragm 48, a somewhat restricted passageway being provided in the trough at this point to prevent entry into the conveyor of large lumps of coal, or of other material or extraneous matter unsuited for use in the combustion chamber. The upper teeth 49 are larger than the lower teeth, extending therebeyond against the advancing fuel so as to meet first with the larger lumps and partially reduce them.

The protector grate, distributor head and connections terminating in an upper surface, forming a firing table 54, adjacent the delivery end of the conveyor. This protecting grate is preferably provided with slots for passage of air into the combustion chamber, the air being led to the interior of the grate from below through an opening 56 in the rear of the grate 13. An insulating air-space is thus provided between the conduit and the auxiliary grate, further protecting the conduit from excessive heat. The distributor head 57, preferably of integral cast hollow construction, is mounted at the rear of the combustion chamber adjacent the firing table, being provided with jet openings 58 distributed around the sidewalls thereof in position to command the entire grate area of the combustion chamber. These openings are preferably inclined inwardly and downwardly, so the jets of steam issuing therefrom will be disposed in such position that the fuel will be distributed evenly/over and downwardly on the fire-bed, and thus opposing the action of the draft which tends to drive the smaller particles of the fuel into and through the boiler tubes. Steam or air under pressure is supplied to the distributor head, issuing forcibly in jets from the openings in such a manner that the fuel lifted through the conduit 24 will be equally distributed over the entire fire-bed of the combustion chamber.

For supplying steam under pressure to the distributor head, a plurality of steam-pipes '59 extends from a manifold 60 on the outer bowed downwardly around the mud-ring,

forming a downwardly extending loop and forming a flexible pipe connection resultin in reduction of loose joints, breagage an' accidental leaks in the pipe connecti us. The forward legs of the supply pipes lying between the water-wall of the boiler and the rear wall of the combustion chamber, formed partly by the lifting conduit 24, are thus advantageouslyprotected from exposure to the extreme heat of the combustion chamber.

' The conveyor drive The drive for the conveyor includes an engine 62 suitably supported on brackets 63 on the locomotive frame. In the embodiment shown, a two-cylinder engine is used having a crank shaft 64 extending at opposite sides of the engine casing'and flexibly connected at either end by universal'joints with the adjacent sections of. the conveyor drive shaft. This driveshaft extends along the transfer conveyor being connected at opposite ends thereof by transmission gears 65 and 66 vrespectively with the lifting and transfer conveyors. The gear 65 transmits power through an inclined intermediate shaft 67 mounted in the conveyor casting, and through bevel gears 68 to the conveyor screw. The drive shaft is made u of a plurality of angularly disposed or disaligned sections lying at either side of the engine and flexibly connected together by universal joints, shaft sections 69 and 70 lying forwardly to drive the lifting conveyor, and sections 71, 72 and 73 lying rearwardly for driving the transfer conveyor. The sections 69 and 7 3 of the drive shaft and the crank shaft section 64 are preferably substantially parallel to the lon 'tudinal axis of the conveyor, but spaced di erently therefrom, while the intermediate sections 71 and 72 may be inclined to said axis. This provides a flexibleshaft for transmitting power to the conveyors, well adapted to absorb shocks and vibrations incident to the rough usage of actual operation without injury to the parts. Also, by this arrangement the driving engine may be spaced from the conveyor as desired, accurate alignment thereof being unnecessary, and its operation and the operation of the transmission connections not T he reversing mechanism A reversing mechanism for temporarily driving the conveyor in reverse direction is provided, this mechanism including in the embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6 a valve 77 in the steam-pipe connections of the engine under manual control of the attendant in the engine through connections at 78. This reversing valve includes. a cylindrical casting 79 and a sliding valve member 80 therein. The valve is provided with an exhaust ort 81 with a connected pipe 82 normally eading to the exhaust valve of the en gine, a live steam port 83 with a connected pipe 84 leading to the boiler, and a live steam port 85 with r a connected pipe 86 leading to the intake port of the engine. The slidable valve member 80 is provided with a conduit 87 extending longitudinally therethrough and lying in position to communicate with the valve exhaust port 88 and a connected pipe 89 to conduct the exhaust steam from the engine to the atmosphere. The valve member 80 is also provided with a circumferential slot 90, extending there-around forming a peripheral conduit lying in position to communicate with the ports 83 and 85 when the valve member is in the direct position shown in Fig. 5. In this position, live steam passes from the boiler through the pipe 84, valve conduit 90 and pipe 86, to the cylinders of the engine to drive it forwardly; in this position the exhaust steam from the engine passes thro h the pipe 82 to port 81 of the valve, and thence to atmosphere, through the exhaust'pipe 89.

When it is desired temporarily to reverse the operation of the engine and the conveyor, the slidable valve member 80 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 6. In this position, the live steam from the boiler enters port 83 through pipe 84, as before, passing thence through circumferential conduit 90 through the pipe 82 to the exhaust port of the engine. In this position of the valve, the exhaust steam from the engine cylinders passes to the reversing valve through the pipe 86 to port 85, and from thence to the atmosphere through valve conduit 87 and exhaust pipe 89. It will be seen therefore that the opera- 05 tionof the engine will be reversed. Since the purpose of this reverse operation is principally to dislod e jams of fuel or extraneous material which may have found its way into the conveyor, it will be understood that the reverse operation of the engine will be confined to a very ,few revolutions. As soon as the jam has become loosened or extraneous object dislodged, the operation of the conveyor may be quickly restored to ,normal by the locomotive attendant, through the connections 78.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accom panying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and s ecific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope ofthe invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1 In a locomotive stoker, in combination, a transferring fuel conveyor including a conduit section mounted on the locomotive, a conduit section mounted on the tender, an intermediate conduit section having ball and socket joints flexibly connectin it'with the other two sections, said con uit sections being overlapped or shingled at said joints in the direction of advancement of the fuel, said intermediate section including a plurality of longitudinally movable arts and a conveyor screw section in each 0 said conduit sections, said conveyor screw sections being flexibly connected to one another at their ends.

2. In a locomotive stoker, in combination, a transferring fuel conveyor including a conduit section connected to the locomotive, a conduit section connected to the tender and an intermediate conduit section, said intermediate section including a plurality of parts, and a slip joint between said parts including a rib and slot arrangement associated with said parts permitting relative longitudinal movement of the parts, but resisting rotary movementthereof.

3. In a locomotive stoker, in combination, a transferring conveyor having a gear drive at its rear en an elevating conveyor adapted to receive fuel from said transferring con veyor and having a gear drive offset to one si e, a dr1v1ng shaft extending along said transferring conveyor and operatively connected at one end with the gear drive of said elevating conveyor and at the other end with the gear drive of said transferring conveyor at the end. of said transferring conveyor remote from said elevating conveyor, said driving shaft including disaligned extensible sections flexibly connected together, and a prime mover having a crank shaft with its opposite ends connected intermediate the ends of said driving shaft for driving the same, the parts being so constructed as to permit said prime mover to be'located in different positions longitudinally and laterally of said transferring conveyor or in different angular positions relative to said transferring conveyor.

4. In a locomotive stoker, in combination, a transferring conveyor having a gear drive at its rear end on the tender, an elevating conveyor on the locomotive adapted to receive fuel from said transferring conveyor and having a gear drive adjacent its lower end, a driving shaft extending along said transferring conveyor and operatively connected at the locomotive end with the gear drive of said elevating conveyor and at the tender end with the gear drive of said transferring conveyor at the end of said transferring conveyor remote from said elevating conveyor, said driving shaft including extensible sections flexibly connected together and adapted to be out of alignment with each other, and a prime mover having a crank shaft with its opposite ends connected intermediate the ends of said driving shaft for driving the same, the parts bemg so constructed as to permit said prime mover to be located in different positions longitudinally and laterally of said transferring conveyor or in different angular positions relative to said transferring conveyor. F t

5. In a locomotive stoker, in combination, a transferring fuel conveyor including a conduit section rigidly connected to the locomotive, a conduit section rigidly connected to the tender and an intermediate conduit section, said intermediate section including a plurality of relatively longitudinally mov-- able parts, flexible j oints for connecting said parts respectively with said locomotive section and said tender section, means cooperating with one of said rigidly connected sections for resisting rotation of one of said movable parts of the intermediate section comprising a pin and slot arrangement, and a slip joint between said movable parts ineluding a rib and slot arrangement associatedwith said parts permitting relatively longitudinal movement of the parts but resisting rotary movement thereof.

6. In a locomotive stoker, in' combination, a transferring conveyor having a gear drive at its rear end on the tender, an elevating conveyor on the locomotive adapted to receive fuel from said transferring conveyor and having a gear drive adjacent its lower end, a driving means for said conveyors comprising a drive shaft formed of. two

main sections adapted to be out of alignment with each other and a prime mover interposed between and having associated therewith a power shaft with its ends universally connected directly to the adjacent ends of said sections for driving the same, the forward section of said drive shaft opcratively connected at the locomotive end with the gear drive of said elevating conveyor and the rear section of said drive shaft operatively connected at the tender end with the gear drive ofsaid transferring conveyor at the end of said transferring con-r veyor remote fromsaid elevating conveyor, and at least one of said sections of the drive shaft including extensible relatively sliding telescopic parts, the parts of said driving means being so constructed as to permit said prime mover to be located in different positions longitudinally and laterally of said transferring conveyor or in different angular positions relative to said transferring conveyor.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

FRANK P. ROESCH. FRANK HOPPER. ANDREW M. HUNT. 

